Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW1708 Released: April 21, 2008 For the week of: April 14 - 20 Cooperating Agencies: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: Frost as well as high winds, were observed in the earlier part of last week across some of the state. The Blacklands, East Texas, the Upper Coast, and South Central received about an inch of rain last week. The rest of the state received little to no rainfall. Hail was observed in a few places in the Cross Timbers. Wheat, as well as some oats, had headed in some of the Southern Plains, Cross Timbers and the Blacklands. Cotton land preparation and pre-watering continued in the High Plains last week. Drier conditions allowed corn planting to progress in the Blacklands. Sorghum planting continued in both South Central Texas and the Blacklands. Cabbage, carrots, broccoli, and some potatoes continued to be harvested in the Southern areas of the state. Pecan trees continued to bud in the Blacklands and the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau. Top soil moisture was mostly short to adequate statewide. Supplemental feeding of livestock was still prevalent due to cooler temperatures in Trans-Pecos, the Edwards Plateau and South Central Texas. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Wheat, as well as some oats, was headed in some of the Southern Plains, Cross Timbers and the Blacklands. Wheat condition was mostly poor to fair statewide. Oat condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Cotton: Land preparation and pre-watering continued in the High Plains last week. Corn: Corn planting was underway in the Northern High Plains. Corn planting neared completion in South Central Texas. Drier conditions last week allowed corn planting to progress in the Blacklands. Corn condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Sorghum: Sorghum planting continued in both South Central Texas and the Blacklands. Sorghum condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Cabbage, carrots, broccoli, and some potatoes continued to be harvested in the Southern areas of the state. Pecans: Pecan trees continued to bud in the Blacklands, Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Supplemental feeding of livestock was still very prevalent due to cooler temperatures in the Trans-Pecos, Edwards Plateau and South Central Texas. Range and pasture condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Crop Progress Table - April 20, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------- Average Crop Stage 2008 2007 2003-2007 -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn Planted 62 68 68 Emerged 51 65 61 Cotton Planted 19 14 18 Rice Planted 89 62 73 Emerged 69 43 59 Sorghum Planted 63 57 52 Soybeans Planted 58 47 53 Sunflowers Planted 9 14 16 Winter Wheat Headed 24 36 30 Oats Headed 68 73 66 ======================================================== Crop Condition Table - April 20, 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------- Percent 2008 2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 2 30 54 12 2 65 68 Sorghum 1 30 36 20 13 55 -- Wheat 3 16 33 27 21 45 80 Oats 7 35 28 14 16 60 64 Range & Pasture 5 29 34 21 11 -- -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ The formula for the condition index is I = (5V + 25P + 60F + 90G + 110E)/100 where I = crop condition index and V, P, F, G, E = percentage of crop rated very poor, poor, fair, good, excellent. =========================================================================================================== Top Soil Moisture by District - April 20, 2008* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition 1-N 1-S 2-N 2-S 3 4 5-N 5-S 6 7 8-N 8-S 9 10-N 10-S --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent of Acreage Very Short 59 47 29 15 1 4 0 0 63 24 14 96 0 49 65 Short 37 47 45 34 20 12 3 13 27 55 54 4 25 49 35 Adequate 4 6 26 51 74 62 72 71 10 21 32 0 65 2 0 Surplus 0 0 0 0 5 22 25 16 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * High Plains: 1-N, 1-S; Low Rolling Plains: 2-N, 2-S; North Central Plains: 3, 4; East Texas: 5-N, 5-S. Trans-Pecos: 6; Edwards Plateau: 7; South Central Texas: 8-N, 8-S; Upper Coast: 9; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S. =============================================================================================================== Weather Information Table 1/ 2/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous National Previous Week Month-to-Date Year-to-Date 1961-90 Three Months Weather Service (Apr 14 - 20) (April 1 - 20) (Jan 1 - Apr 20) Annual (Jan - Mar) Climatic Divisions Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Normal Percent of Normal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.00 0.43 0.77 18.87 16 Low Rolling Plains 0.00 1.31 2.71 23.78 43 North Central Texas 0.51 1.92 7.96 34.00 91 East Texas 0.72 2.38 12.29 45.69 93 Trans-Pecos 0.00 0.00 0.32 12.96 27 Edwards Plateau 0.14 0.53 2.83 24.01 65 South Central Texas 0.40 0.57 4.45 34.48 63 Upper Coast 0.62 0.82 9.84 47.63 101 South Texas 0.10 0.19 1.25 23.49 34 Lower Valley 0.08 0.08 2.01 25.34 54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average of all stations reporting precipitation data. 2/ High Plains: 1-N, 1-S; Low Rolling Plains: 2-N, 2-S; North Central Texas: 3, 4; East Texas: 5-N, 5-S. Trans-Pecos: 6; Edwards Plateau: 7; South Central Texas: 8-N, 8-S; Upper Coast: 9; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S. For more information, please visit the following web sites: www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_new.php and www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html ==========================================================================================================